Colorado Spine Partners is a group practice composed of the four fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeons, Dr. Gary Ghiselli, Dr. Sanjay Jatana, Dr. Chris Johnson and Dr. David Wong. The four spine surgeons have over 60 combined years performing spine surgery, and only spine surgery. The spine specialists are referred back pain and neck pain patients from across the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains; Colorado Springs; Summit County, Colorado; as well as from adjacent states of New Mexico, Nebraska, Wyoming and Kansas.

Dr. Ghiselli, Dr. Jatana, Dr. Chris Johnson and Dr. Wong emphasize non-surgical treatment options in advance of spine surgery through a network of pain management specialists and spine therapists. Back and neck pain patients can often recover nonsurgically by working with physical medicine and rehabilitation (PMR) physicians and spine-specialized therapists, who use customized movements and exercises to help make the back stronger, more flexible and resistant to injury. When surgery is necessary, the spine surgeons perform minimally invasive spine surgery so the patient can be home later the same day to recover in the comfort of their own home.

Establishing the diagnosis

Sometimes even with a good set of X-rays or MRI scans, the root cause of your pain is not easy to identify. That can be especially true when it happens in the cervical spine or neck area. There are some basic things we look for that can help us determine exactly what is going on. We may try some nonsurgical therapies first to see if the problem improves or persists. We will not schedule surgery until we completely diagnose the source of the pain.

Once we decide if surgery is appropriate, we will begin to prepare you for what you can expect. We will talk with you about getting ready for surgery, the operation, and typical hospital stays and recovery time. We will also talk with you about physical therapy and post-surgical follow-up care.

Surgical Consultation

A good doctor knows how to listen. At Colorado Spine Partners, your surgical consultation is an opportunity for us to get to know you. During the exam, we will inquire about your medical history, your family medical history, any previous injuries you may have suffered, any previous surgeries, if you were hurt on the job or in an accident, how long have you been in pain, and any medications or treatments you’ve taken.

Is your back pain isolated to just one location? Does it radiate down your arms or legs? How is your diet? How often do you exercise? What are your expectations from back surgery? What are your fears? The information we gather from this consultation, along with MRI scans and medical records from referring physicians, helps us determine the next step in your treatment.

In the case of children with spinal deformities, genetic factors may play a role. A thorough consultation examines all the physical, genetic and environmental factors that can help us determine the extent of the problem and the appropriate treatment plan.